Andrew Knapp Walks Off the Nationals, Because Why Not?

After almost 13 full innings and more than four and a half hours in the sweltering heat, Andrew Knapp strolled to the plate in a game that looked like it might never end. With nobody up in the bullpen and Gabe Kapler ready to turn the ball over to Jesmuel Valentin the following inning, Tom McCarthy had a crazy thought:

With the win, the Phillies move to 45-37 and officially complete a ruthless 42-game stretch that many believed would mark the end of their playoff hopes with a passable 21-21 record. They are currently in sole possession of the National League’s second wild card spot and indeed look very much poised to make shit weird over the season’s final three months. And about that: If the organization’s decision makers wanted to see if this team was legit enough to warrant some mid-season upgrades, then that question was answered emphatically over the past six weeks. There is no reason to think, even with Atlanta continuing its impressive play, that the Phillies can’t make the postseason. None. And you know what else? I don’t want to hear about the Nationals anymore.

Yeah, conventional wisdom and projection models still suggest the Nationals will wake up, go on a run, and still manage to win the NL East. Maybe. But let’s point out the obvious. The Phillies took five of seven from this team over the past 10 days, and their much maligned bullpen held the once thought to be big bad Nats lineup to one run over 15 innings the past two games, so they clearly have some shit to figure out on their end. It’s time to change the narrative about the Phillies. They can make the postseason and they can make it now. I’m all in.

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Bob Wankel covers the Phillies, breaking news, and sports gambling for Crossing Broad. He is also a producer and co-host of Crossed Up: A Phillies Podcast.
A South Jersey resident and graduate of Monmouth University, his past work includes six seasons as a freelance producer at NFL Films.
On Twitter: @BWCrossingbroad
E-mail: Bob@crossingbroad.com